Topic: I would love to know y’all’s thoughts and if your community allows an “office pet mascot”?

Question:

I have a manager that has been bringing her cute tiny dog to work with her for awhile now. The community is very pet friendly and the residents seem to love the dog. My direct supervisor thinks it’s unprofessional.

I would love to know y’all’s thoughts and if your community allows an “office pet mascot”?

Unprofessional....

As a regular thing, it’s distracting and unprofessional. When I was a manager I’d have one day a year where employees could bring their dog to work for pet appreciation month. But that was a one time occurrence.

Dog friendly invites good residents!!!

I think its distracting. I would worry about what the dog was doing the whole time...but that's just me.

Used to bring my dog into make readies with me all the time. But I lived on property and never brought her into the office. She also loved riding on the golf cart

My thought is you could have a prospect, resident or employee that is allergic to dogs.

As part of the younger generation, I think it’s great! Shows how pet friendly the community is and as long as the dog is well behaved will make the community stand out to prospects!!

Many companies are becoming dog friendly and it seems to boost morale. I think as long as she is doing her job effectively then it's not an issue.

Allergic to dogs so not a fan and it doesn’t matter how clean your pups are, I have a very sensitive smell to dogs. I have a Golden Doodle and wouldn’t bring her either out of respect of others..

I wouldn’t want to have to smell someone’s dog all day.

I think it’s great- if the community is pet friendly and the dog is well behaved.

No. Not the place for any animals.

Unprofessional plus some people have allergies. I love dogs but not cool.

Check with your attorney to see what legal issues could come with having a pet in the office around people.

It’s welcoming and not unprofessional. People love dogs. They lift their spirits.

Liability issues here. The dog presumably is well behaved, but what if it bites someone or another dog? What if something happens to the dog? Also, some folks will view it as unprofessional, so doesn’t seem like the sort of thing you’d want to allow. Does company handbook address it?

It may be a health benefit to some but it's a burden to others who have allergies to pets. I'm on the fence with this one

Lauren my question is how do u feel about it?
Has her supervisor said anything to her?

Rosa Duarte I think I’m torn. I think she is a doll and sweet, but I do wonder about people who don’t love dogs. I am loving all the feedback. I’m hoping to come to a compromise with all these great opinions

I love when my properties have office dogs. They make every day better????????????????

I would say no to that because what if someone is allergic to a dog and wants to lease. You don’t want them feeling uncomfortable saying you have an office dog. We have never had an office pet at any properties. We did have a fish though.

Who doesnt love a dog..got to have some happiness in life..

Our office is very pet friendly. I volunteer with 2 rescue groups and am allowed to bring either my personal dog or current foster to work. The dogs are not open to the general public therefore there is no chance of biting and the dogs are always small Chihuahua or Chihuahua mixes so therefore don't take up much room and are always clean and smelling good. They are NOT allowed to bark or be obnoxious. It is great training for fosters. All of our tenants love that we always have a dog in the office.

I’m cool with it. My manager brought hers a few times. I do think there should be a few stipulations:
- there must be a place to contain the dog in the event a resident or prospect is uncomfortable or allergic. There should also be a space where the dog is not allowed.
- The dog should be house-trained and not a dog that likes to chew furniture.
- the dog should be friendly and maybe even be required to pass an obedience class like Canine Good Citizens.
A possible solution for someone with dog allergies is to keep them as far away from the “dog office” as possible and maybe even work outside if the weather is nice and they are ok with it. I get it and totally support making accommodations.

I think it depends on the dog. Is it a barker? Is it any hypoallergenic breed? Is her productivity decreased? Are there complaints from the residents? I think it’s awfully counter- productive to be a “dog friendly” community to everyone except your employees. There’s also a world of consideration here for company culture / employee retention. What has been said regarding the dog before she started bringing it to work? Is there a reason for the change? Is the animal sick? Is she bringing it in lieu of calling in? Would this employee take it so harshly if you “kicked out” the dog that she would leave? Is she worth keeping as an employee?

Did this person ever ask for permission?
What happens when she goes on tour?
I would love to bring my dog to work but I admit I would not be as productive if I did that. Maybe compromise and allow one person to bring a pet each Friday & rotate weekly if you are not concerned about customer allergies. It’s not really fair to allow one person to bring their pet every day but nobody else can.

As long as the dog isn't causing a distraction, I don't see the problem. He'll, some people love animals more than humans anyway.
Plus it could be a conversation starter and at times help close the sale

Assistance/companion animal? In CA?

I use one of my residents dogs as our mascot

My inner pet lover wants to say it's okay. My inner HR person says it's a no go. Am I now going to allow other employees to do the same? Nope, can't have it.

You may be held responsible if someone is allergic or the dog bites someone, WE have a dog party for the residents and do allow employees to bring their dogs the one day!

If it was your Manager if asking about you, their employee, I’d understand. You and your Managers boss are discussing your Manager. That’s what’s unprofessional. Stay in your lane.

Valerie Vincent It is a manager that works under her and she is discussing it with her own direct supervisor. Maybe you should read the whole thing prior to commenting ????????‍♀️ attention to detail is important in our industry.

I had this situation but it was a parrot. The manager had him for years and our company took over, I had to tell her he couldn’t be in the office any longer! He was super cute but that thing squawked non stop and I worried it would bite someone’s finger off! It sat on a rail thing not even in a cage! Remember if you approve this small cute dog, you have to approve other associates pets too. Slippery slope if you ask me.

I have brought my pup to work and my manager and office did not have any problems. As long as the office is working and functions who cares. I also have a new assistant and she brought her dog for half a day if residents are not complaining then let it be

We have a Pet of the Month club and that pet gets to spend a day in the office with us. “Mommy’s Day Out” kinda thing. (As well as cute pet gift baskets) Having a pet daily in the office that is an employees may be perceived unprofessional from co-workers that don’t want to speak up as well as other residents.

We have an office dog. We have a space for him if someone doesn’t want him out there (uncomfortable or allergic) and 99.9% of people love him. Pick your battles.

Amy Borron unfortunately you should ask her not bring the dog to work. If you don’t then you open the door for other employees to bring their kids to work, husbands or wives. The list goes on. Everyone has to be treated equally.

Sherrie Hubler I work in student housing so I think the rules are a little different. We love him!

The only time we allow it is if the animal needs supervision after surgery or something

I know it's unpopular but I don't have a pet because I don't want one. Dogs scare me when they jump up or bark, and if this was where I worked, I would give notice and leave. I don't know if I could even work my notice. You can't force other people, residents or employees to love your pet. And for me, this would be an absolute nightmare.

We have an office dog. He makes residents happy when they come in because he greets them at the door and they hang out with them if we are on the phone.

Make the dog an ESA and your boss won’t be able to say anything lol

we have an office dog. He is mine and comes to work everyday. He is a standard poodle and the kids love him and most residents come in and go straight to him before us.

I love it!!

Depends on the dog. I worked with a lady many years ago who would bring her 120 lb Newfoundland. She was very cool and would wander from office to office just saying hi. But bringing my 20 lb spaniel would be totally unprofessional. I also worked for a guy who'd bring his cockapoo every day. My husband (also worked there) hated that dog. She was a brat, no doubt. I loved Sally but she definitely thought SHE owned the place. Ultimately, though, her Daddy owned the place so my hubby's opinion didn't matter much. Sadly, if the supervisor isn't on board, your office mascot should probably stay home.

nope what if someone is allergic

Cyndi Daniell they’re a pet friendly complex. If someone is allergic they’d probably have a reaction from pet dander in the office. Can’t imagine it’d make much difference.

Questions I’d ask my self-
Has owner approved?
Has management company insurance approved?
Who makes sure the shots are up to date?
If a true or false statement is made about the pet bitting someone who is responsible for that?

Unprofessional to me is usually related to someone’s inappropriate actions or sometimes they way they present themselves. I think the same is true of a pet in the office. If it well behaved, clean and can be separated from the leasing area when needed... I personally would have no problem with it as long as my owner and/or mgmt company was ok with it.

Unless there’s been complaints from resident(s).... I’d say it’s fine. They’re pet friendly. Everyone who lives there is aware of that. Does the manager live on site?? Even more of a reason it’s ok. If residents can bring their own dogs into the office, why can’t she??

I absolutely adore dogs and participate in a lot of rescue. I would never think that it is acceptable for me to bring my dog to work every single day unless it was a true service animal. I think if someone brings their dog to work occasionally when they need to take it to the vet or get it groomed and it’s only a half day or something that might be a different story but they should have permission before they do that.

I think it could be a potential liability and the owner/asset manager/management company would be inclined to demand the pet be left at home.

Bella would have me out chasing lizards all day. ????

No problem... we had a cfo at a management company I work for bring her dogto the office everyday....no big deal just toys everywhere....

I’d say it would depend on the temperament of the dog. If they can remain calm if someone came in upset and no jumping or barking then fine but that’s a tough dog to find

Perhaps unprofessional unless this person is requesting a reasonable accommodation, at which point you can let everyone know you are complying with fair housing laws and call it a day.

I can see both sides of it. I brought my rescue in when we first got her and my boss told me to bring her every day. I thought it unprofessional, but she is here every day.
She's hypoallergenic so no worries there. It's a great marketing tool because the property will be more memorable and the dog is all over our social media. Residents come in just to see her, bring her gifts, and check her progress (she was a mess).
I think it makes the community seem more inviting and relaxed.

It's always a good day when PM allows pets in the office. Having said that, the pets should be very well trained. I used to bring my dog to work everyday (granted, I was part of the ownership so no one could tell me not to) but she became a great office dog and many residents would stop by just for a visit. One gentleman had Alzheimers and would tell me the same story at each visit that my dog was just like his old dog on the farm. When he died his wife met with me and told me how much he had looked forward to visiting with my dog and that brought a smile to his face.

My property asked me to bring my dog in lol I have 2 - one is "protective"so he stays home, the other is a mush. He is kept on a long leash attached to my desk that only allows him to go behind my desk. We have a huge office and I always let people know about him so if they are uncomfortable around dogs it isn't an issue for someone else to assist them. He comes in 1 or 2 days a week. As someone who was terrified of dogs until a few years ago I am SUPER sensitive to people's phobias. He often comes on tour (if the prospect pays more attention do the pup than to me lol) but when he stays behind one of my coworkers gives him treats so he doesn't miss me. If it ever became an issue he would stay home but when he isn't in the office everyone - residents, maintenance, UPS - asks where he is! And people are less mlikely to yell when he's around:-)

Allergies would be a concern if having prospects and tenants coming to your office regularly. I have some prospects that cannot rent an apartment if an animal was ever even in the apartment.

Sorry it's a no no for me!!!

It’s a no for me. Too many people with allergies and also many people are afraid of dogs.

You can bring a dog to work but when you deliver a human you're asked to come to work before the ink uses to name your baby on the registrar is even dry
Omg I can't even lol
What's next a PM that's gonna be that kind of PM saying it's a service animal

No from me

Pearl loves coming to work with me! Worn out from greeting everyone who walks through the door.

I wonder why we think our profession is any different than that of a corporate office, a hotel, a grocery store, a department store.
Why do we handle our work environment differently ?
Aka, allowing dogs, etc.
I don’t think this is a generational thing?
We have so many different types of offices from mom & pop, student housing, etc.
Maybe this is a not one size fits all answer -
I think it depends on the property.
Yes ?

I think its great!

can I bring my dog ?????

I used to bring my pup in the office when I was an assistant and everyone loved her. That was also a decade ago. My maintenance techs used to take her on rides on the golf cart and she had certain residents she would visit. She crossed the rainbow bridge now but I don't regret any day she was with me. She was also 10 pounds and super cute!!!

I wish i could bring mine!

Is it causing issues?
Is she building better relationships?
It would depend on the answers...

It's a distraction and a possible liability. Not every dog is sweet and chill.

Unless it is a service animal, it’s not professional and wouldn’t be allowed in my office.

Whats the harm. The one who says it is unprofessional needs to remember we work in peoples homes. AND, try talking to her. You might find there is a need to have her assistance/service animal with her...even when shes nor at home.

I LOVE dogs. However i have literally seen people jump away from dogs before.

Vivian Ruiz am I allowed to have an ESA in the office? You could have an ESBaby (Rossie)

Absolutely. It’s a pet friendly property & residents like it. So who is it hurting? As long as her job performance is what it should be it’s not unprofessional.... I would have a few ground rules.....

Liability...check with your property and general liability carriers.

My old managment company everyone in the main office brought theirs dogs to work HR, accountants, receptionists,CEO, as long as it is not preventing anyone from doing their work I dont see an issue